1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a distraction assembly structured to automatically facilitate bone growth which may be required for the application of a dental implant. A drive assembly is dimensioned and configured to be anchored within the mouth of a patient and structured to incrementally advance at least one displacement member and a bone segment attached thereto such that sufficient bone growth will be generated at a preferred rate to support the dental implant.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern day dentistry has advanced to the point that dental implants are commonly utilized for the replacement of missing, natural teeth. However, in many instances bone loss at the implant site is such that the application of a dental implant without further dental procedures is not possible. Bone loss is frequently the result of injury or the natural process of reabsorption to the extent that the implant site has been damaged or otherwise configured in an undesirable fashion. Accordingly, a procedure generally known as bone distraction could benefit a patient especially when a dental implant is being applied at a specific or predetermined implant site that is lacking in sufficient bone mass.
More specifically, the requirements for a successful implantation typically involve sufficient native bone to allow the installation of a dental implant and further to allow the osteointegration of the implant. Every tooth that is lost by accidental means, through tooth decay and/or the natural aging process, presents a distinctly unique set of constraints that will determine the likelihood of success for artificial tooth implantation.
Although each instance requiring the implantation of a tooth is unique, applicable situations can be grouped generally into two major categories. One is implantation of the molars and the other is implantation of the incisor or canine teeth. In the case of molars, which typically amount to the majority of instances where implantation is desirable, significant absorption of bone commonly results in difficulty in implanting artificial teeth. Current means for mitigating the risk of a failed implant involve the use of bone filler, or bone transplantation. Both are costly and involve a high level of expertise to assure the desired outcome.
The technology associated with bone distraction is known and conventionally involves the use of some type of mechanical means periodically and manually adjusted to assure that the growth of the bone at a predetermined implant site continues until the desired increase in bone mass is achieved. One problem and/or disadvantage associated with conventional or known bone distraction techniques also involves a certain dependency on the patient to provide the necessary input that will result in the periodic separation of the corresponding bone fragments associated with the implant site. Moreover, utilizing conventional techniques frequently results in too much separation of the bone fragment which in turn results in the growth of soft tissue at the implant site. Such generated soft tissue grows more readily and has a tendency to disrupt the formation of the required bone mass. In turn, too little separation of the associated bone segments results in the bone solidifying and the necessity of terminating the distraction process. This problem is further exacerbated by the digital nature of the current distraction process. More specifically, existing procedures involve a process which is mostly “static”, wherein such a static condition is violently disrupted by a sudden movement or disruption of the bone fragment in the range of generally one millimeter.
Accordingly, while known or conventional techniques and procedures associated with bone distraction for purposes of the application of a dental implant may be functional in accomplishing increased bone mass at the implant site, significant disadvantages and problems are generally associated therewith. Therefore, there is a need in the dental profession and in particular with the procedure and techniques associated with bone distraction for a proposed system, method, apparatus and associated techniques that effectively “automate” the bone distraction procedure. More specifically, the automation of bone separation at the implant site, resulting in sufficient bone growth over time, would overcome many if not all of the significant problems and disadvantages associated with known or conventional bone distraction technology.
More specifically, a proposed distraction assembly would preferably involve a drive assembly, which includes both a drive component and a timing assembly cooperatively disposed and structured to control the displacement of the bone fragment associated with the implant site over a predetermined period of time. By way of example, the period of time associated with an automated bone distraction technique could possibly be less than thirty days depending on the amount of bone mass that is required to accomplish a successful dental implant. Further by way of example, a proposed automated distraction assembly could be operatively structured to accomplish displacement approximately in the range of 0.5 mm to 1 mm per day until the desired distraction is created. With this method and the associated proposed automated distraction assembly, a distraction of 3 mm could take place any where from three days to six days.
In addition, an improved and proposed automated distraction assembly could provide movement of the bone fragments associated with the implant site throughout the entire period of bone distraction. Such a technique and associated structure would overcome the bone being in a static condition for an extended period of time thereby facilitating bone growth and eliminating or significantly reducing the possibility of the bone solidifying. Further, the provision of a timing assembly in the preferred and proposed automated distraction assembly will be operable to allow a delayed beginning of the period over which bone distraction is intended to occur. This could be accomplished so that the initial insult response that is typical of an injury is triggered at a predetermined time to start the bone regeneration process.
An additional feature associated with the timing assembly and its structural and interactive operation with the drive component of the drive assembly, is the ability to determine and regulate the maximum displacement per day of the bone segment(s) at the implant site to a desired range of preferably 1 mm. The degree of movement would be subject to a minimum amount that does not allow the solidification of the bone. It is, of course, understood that the rate of the separation of the bone fragments associated with the implant site may determine the quality of bone that is regenerated.